Elections Canada taking coronavirus precautions for Toronto Centre, York Centre byelections

As voters in Toronto Centre and York Centre vote in byelections on Monday, Elections Canada reports staff will be taking extra precautions for residents in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

For those who are looking to vote, polling locations will be open between 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

On the Elections Canada website, it said all polling locations will be equipped with hand sanitizer stations and physical distancing markers.

As for workers, the agency said they will all be equipped with personal protective equipment and there will only be one poll worker for each check-in desk.

Voters were asked to wear a mask and to keep two metres away from others.

Elections Canada will be providing one-time-use pencil for marking ballots, but voters will be permitted to bring their own pencils to mark ballots.

The deadlines for advance voting and mail-in ballot registration have passed. The agency reported 686 people opted to send in their ballots.

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The byelections in Toronto Centre and York Centre were triggered by the resignations of former Finance Minister Bill Morneau in August and Michael Levitt in September, respectively.

Toronto Centre

Liberal: Marci Ien
Conservative: Benjamin Gauri Sharma
Green: Annamie Paul
NDP: Brian Chang
PPC: Baljit Bawa

The riding is bordered by The Esplanade and Mill Street to the south, Bay Street, Dundas Street West and Yonge Street to the west, Charles Street, Mount Pleasant Road, Bloor Street East and Rosedale Valley Road to the north, and Bayview Avenue to the east.

2:31 2020 Toronto Centre byelection: Major candidates say they have personal connection to riding

York Centre candidates

Liberal: Ya’ara Saks
Conservative: Julius Tiangson
NDP: Andrea Vasquez-Jimenez
Green: Sasha Zavarella
PPC: Maxime Bernier

The riding is roughly bordered by Highway 401 to the south, Bathurst Street to the east, Steeles Avenue West to the north, and Keele street, Grandravine Drive, Sheppard Avenue West and Jane Street to the west.